HAYSTACK
COMMENTARY
January 2026 |
CULTURAL APOLOGETCS DATABASE
ED NOTE=Zorek Richards Inclusion on this website to not necessitate agreement |
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When the Roman Empire and Christianity became conjoined, the result was a rich and powerful theocratic tyranny, the medieval church, that exercised mind-control and coercion and murdered dissidents. This is not what true Christians should desire or participate in. "holding to a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these." - 2 Timothy 3:5
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January 17, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
DOJ has opened an investigation into Tim Walz AND Minneapolis Mayor. Apparently the Thug In Chief has the DOJ investigate anyone who publicly criticizes him. Hopefully people will not be afraid to continue to speak the truth ...but that IS what the Thug in Chief wants.
“The Insurrection Act which has been used by 48% of the presidents, as of this moment. The elder President George HW Bush. He used it I think 28 times.” ---Donald Trump FACTS: Created in 1807, the Insurrection Act was used by Abraham Lincoln who invoked it in 1861 at the start of the Civil War to call up militia troops. Ulysses S. Grant used it most frequently, invoking it roughly 10 times to combat the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist violence during Reconstruction. Rutherford B. Hayes and Grover Cleveland used it to intervene in massive labor strikes, such as the Pullman Strike. In the 1950s and 60s, it was used by Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson to enforce school desegregation and protect civil rights marchers, often over the objections of state governors. The Act was last invoked in 1992 by George H.W. Bush to quell the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict. The Thug in Chief's consideration of activating the Insurrection Act against American citizens who protest against him and his ICE thugs would be step 2 in his steps to Martial Law nationwide. As his term continues it seems most everyone in his administration seems to get worse and worse. Trump, Bondi, Noem, Stephen Miller, Hegseth, Vance, Leavitt are all full on board with the Trump machine and wreaking their own havoc along the way. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's like every day is something new....but not in a good way with these folks. “When it comes to controlling human beings there is no better instrument than lies. Because, you see, humans live by beliefs. And beliefs can be manipulated. The power to manipulate beliefs is the only thing that counts.”
― Michael Ende, The Neverending Story Apparently Trump has lost 20 lbs. since he was elected. Paula White-Cain, who prays to him every night (since she said saying no to Trump is the same as disobeying God) , offered motivation and told him the weight would prevent him from walking on water.
Friends, our religion is not revealed in our creeds and prayers and songs offered in cloistered privilege; it is revealed in our choices in the turbulence and trauma outside of them. Faith isn’t what we say in a building for an hour on Sunday, but what we do for the other 167 hours of our week, where the costs and pushback come. We, 200 million people filling those 370,000 buildings, can call ourselves anything we want, we can make all sorts of declarations, and we can tell ourselves whatever sanctified story helps us sleep at night, but unless we are the visible, vocal opposition to the most shameful, violent, and anti-Christian presence in our nation that is ICE, we will not be Jesus Christians.
And that is a sin. --John Pavlovitz REPORTS FROM MID-2025 IINIDICATE THAT STEPHEN MILLER, a really short bald guy and senior advisor in the Thug administration, pushed for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to aim for a minimum of 3,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants per day, a significant increase over previous rates, leading to escalated enforcement and community raids. This target was confirmed by Miller on Fox News, though the administration later presented it as a "goal" rather than a strict quota, according to various news outlets that report real news and were not Fox News. It's not impossible to suggest ICE members get financial awards for making quotas. The rumor that they get a Milk-Bone dog biscuit probably isn't true and, to me, would be an overpayment for the professional services they provide. Milk-bones were to be provided by Cosplay Kristi Noem because, well, you know she had this supply and, well, dogs don't really like her very much. Stephen Miller (ie, Pew Wee German) , alongside DHS Secretary Cosplay Kristi Noem, according to sources, push the new quota. The push intensified around May 2025 and led to a surge in ICE operations, including workplace raids, targeting individuals without criminal records, and increased arrests in local communities. The administration's Justice Department downplayed the "quota," calling it a "goal," but Miller publicly confirmed the target. Miller is the Thug In Chiefs Master Criminal. Though not confirmed yet, it's widely believed that Miller hangs upside down in a damp cave every night..And, though not official yet, it's rumored the new Ballroom will also have a high ceiling sectioned off just for Miller to rest between Fox News interviews after his morning goose stepping marching drills January 16, 2026:
We Have Not Read MLK Enough I don’t remember Martin Luther King Jr. being the paragon of Black leadership in my home growing up. I did not go to church regularly or think deeply about Christianity, where King received a decent portion of his appreciation. My family’s conversations instead mirrored those of the Black Panther Party. We talked more about Malcolm X, Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance than about the Civil Rights Movement and King. It wasn’t until my teenage years, when my father became a Christian in a Missionary Baptist church, that peace, love, and consideration for neighbors became part of our household lexicon. I was a revolutionary-minded young man with a Swahili name, now asked to love the descendants of colonizers, slaveholders, and cultural appropriators. (Hastings Tribune; 1.16.26) READMORE>>>>> Senators craft legislation to prioritize protecting Christians globally A group of U.S. senators say Christians are under attack throughout the world, and religious freedom needs to be reprioritized in the U.S. and abroad. Idaho Sen. Jim Risch, a Republican who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution that reasserts America’s role as a global leader for religious liberty. Specifically, the resolution seeks to reaffirm that the U.S. continue to “promote, protect, and expand inalienable and internationally recognized right to freedom of religion.” It further encourages U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “use all available tools and resources to discourage foreign governments from continuing patterns of violations.” (Hastings Tribune; 1.16.26) READMORE>>>>> January 14, 2026:
Why the Trump Coalition Is Cracking Up Trump is dominating the world stage. But at home, inside the MAGA movement he created, his authority is quietly eroding. At the start of 2026, Donald Trump should have the wind at his back as he sets out to assure America’s future. For his recent election, he assembled the broadest multi-faith conservative coalition in modern American politics. A twice-divorced casino magnate who bragged about his sexual exploits to interviewers, rarely attended church, and once identified as pro-choice hardly embodied the “family values” that had defined the Religious Right since the late 1970s. Yet despite violating the moral norms religious voters championed, he drew more unified, enthusiastic support from them than any Republican in the modern era. Churchgoing white evangelicals gave him historic margins, but so did Orthodox and observant Jews. Traditionally, Democratic Catholics swung hard to the GOP. And in a twist almost no one predicted, in 2024 thousands of Muslim voters in Michigan—long considered a Democratic lock—crossed over to vote for him. (The Free Press; 1.14.26) READMORE>>>>> Bishop Barron Goes Full MAGA: A Silence and a Scandal Behind His Rightward Shift Once seen as a centrist evangelist with wide appeal, Bishop Robert Barron has spent the past few years aligning himself with MAGA politicians, right-wing media, and partisan culture war flashpoints. One of the most revealing tests of a Catholic leader is which issues they choose to address — and which they pointedly ignore. On that score, Bishop Barron’s recent record is striking. Consider a few matters of life and justice he has not found time to seriously engage: though Leo talks about it nearly weekly, not a single public word about the Israeli bombardment of Gaza that killed over 13,000 children since 2023. No mention of the young woman killed by an ICE agent last week in his home state of Minnesota. (Letters from Leo; 1.14.26) READMORE>>>>> January 14, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
REPORTS FROM MID-2025 IINIDICATE THAT STEPHEN MILLER, a really short bald guy and senior advisor in the Thug administration, pushed for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to aim for a minimum of 3,000 arrests of undocumented immigrants per day, a significant increase over previous rates, leading to escalated enforcement and community raids. This target was confirmed by Miller on Fox News, though the administration later presented it as a "goal" rather than a strict quota, according to various news outlets that report real news and were not Fox News. It's not impossible to suggest ICE members get financial awards for making quotas. The rumor that they get a Milk-Bone dog biscuit probably isn't true and, to me, would be an overpayment for the professional services they provide. Milk-bones were to be provided by Cosplay Kristi Noem because, well, you know she had this supply and, well, dogs don't really like her very much.
Stephen Miller (ie, Pew Wee German) , alongside DHS Secretary Cosplay Kristi Noem, according to sources, push the new quota. The push intensified around May 2025 and led to a surge in ICE operations, including workplace raids, targeting individuals without criminal records, and increased arrests in local communities. The administration's Justice Department downplayed the "quota," calling it a "goal," but Miller publicly confirmed the target. Miller is the Thug In Chiefs Master Criminal. Though not confirmed yet, it's widely believed that Miller hangs upside down in a damp cave every night..And, though not official yet, it's rumored the new Ballroom will also have a high ceiling sectioned off just for Miller to rest between Fox News interviews after his morning goose stepping marching drills. January 13, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
‘Trump is losing the political fight to Jerome Powell’
Thug-in-Chief, however, doesnt care what anyone thinks because he believes he is the smartest man in the world, who announced last week that he "don’t need international law: His power is only "constrained only by ‘my own morality’ The convicted sex offender is only constrained by his own moralit!y!?! --Let that sink in. NOT HYBERBOLE BUT TRUTH: People who believed they were gods, or were seen as divine, range from ancient rulers like Pharaohs and Roman Emperors to modern cult leaders like Jim Jones and David Koresh, often linked to psychological conditions like narcissistic personality disorder or mania, or used as tools for control, including figures like Naram-Sin and Apollo Quiboloy who declared themselves divine, and historical figures like Guan Yu who gained deification through worship. God Complex: A belief in one's own superiority, power, and infallibility, often linked to Narcissistic Personality Disorder or mania. Religious Delusions: Sufferers of conditions like schizophrenia may believe they are God, a saint, or a prophet. This same person has militarized many cities in America right at this moment. January 13, 2026:
Can James Talarico Reclaim Christianity for the Left? One of my obsessions over the last few years has been the role of attention in modern American politics: the way attention is a fundamental currency, the way it works differently than it did at other times when it was controlled by newspaper editorial boards. So I’ve been particularly interested in politicians who seem native to this attentional era, who seem to have figured something out. We’ve talked a lot about how the Trump administration uses attention, how Zohran Mamdani uses attention. But somebody who has been breaking through over the past year in a very interesting way is James Talarico, a state representative from Texas. (New York Times; 1.13.26) READMORE>>>>> How a Reactionary Peruvian Movement Went Multinational Last spring, the Mayday USA tour—a traveling road show of Christian parents’-rights activists campaigning against gender and sexual expression in children—brought its message to five American cities. Each of its appearances, in highly visible public arenas such as Times Square in New York City and Discovery Green in Houston, was something between a political rally, a Christian tent revival, and a college-football tailgate party. Music pulsated from the sound system, hands were held aloft in praise, and speakers assured the crowd that they were a righteous silent majority, fed up and ready to roar. Invoking Jesus’s love, activist influencers and charismatic pastors unleashed a barrage of alarmist rhetoric aiming to channel parental anxiety into a broader Christian-supremacist project. (The Nation; 1.13.26) READMORE>>>>> January 12, 2026:
Irish evangelical leader says Enoch Burke case centers on 'behavior', not transgender rights A senior Irish evangelical leader has said the prolonged imprisonment of teacher Enoch Burke is the result of his own conduct and defiance of court orders, not his beliefs about gender or transgender issues. Nick Park, executive director of the Evangelical Alliance in Ireland, told the Irish Independent that Burke’s “un-Christian,” “insulting” and “disruptive” behavior — rather than his views — lies at the center of the case, which has become one of Ireland’s most contentious legal and cultural flashpoints. “Enoch Burke was not suspended or fired for refusing to call a child by incorrect pronouns,” Park said. “He was suspended for his behaviour.” (Christian Daily; 1.12.26) READMORE>>>>> January 10, 2026:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
SO WHAT DOES NOEM HAVE TO HIDE???
AFTER RENEE GOOD SHOOTING, Noem put in place new restrictions on congressional visits to detention facilities. POLITICO: A day after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem quietly ordered new restrictions on congressional visits to immigration detention facilities. That order, put into effect Thursday by the Trump administration and revealed in court late Saturday, forces lawmakers to seek a week’s advance notice before conducting oversight visits to ICE facilities. That new policy appears to explain a conflict that unfolded Saturday, when three House Democrats from Minnesota were denied entry to a detention facility in the Whipple federal building in Minneapolis. Minnesota AG Keith Ellison said the state does not need federal permission to investigate or charge ICE agents in Renee Good’s shooting. The FBI can delay access to evidence, but it cannot block a state homicide probe. Minnesota can proceed independently and use courts or subpoenas to compel evidence. Claims by J.D. Vance that ICE agents have “absolute immunity” are false—federal agents have no immunity from state criminal law. Justice for Renee Good. 
Shooter was not in front of the vehicle when he fired. First shot was after the wheels were turned away and she was moving to her right away from him (Jonathan Ross) . 2nd and third shot was in the side window. Clearly seen on the video. One of her last words were "I'm not mad at you.." Her dog was in the back seat. As she turns away from him, the Shooter calls her a “fucking bitch”
The Thug In Chief has essentially declared martial law on the USA and they are using the National Guard and ICE as his military force. They are shooting people, killing people, (32 people have died in their custody...not counting the ones they kill in the streets), and they are making people disappear. This is not at all American...but the Thug in Chief is more beholden to people like Putin and making money for his rich friends (who, in turn, will donate money to him and any campaign of his choosing.). The Thug in Chief does nothing out of selflessness...quite the opposite. We are now in a place where many American schools have to remain closed for fear of the actions of the Thug in Chiefs "military." The Thug-in Chiefs "America First" slogan is now "Trump First and Foremost Always" When schools have to cancel classes to protect children from the government you know there is something very wrong. If we trace the chain of events that caused ICE agents to be deployed to Minneapolis in the first place, they are anchored in Trump’s lies. Trump has openly claimed that Minneapolis is being targeted because of its large Somali population, which is predominately Black and Muslim (a largely refugee population, by the way, that was assisted with resettlement by Lutheran Social Services with government support). At a cabinet meeting in December, as more than 2,000 ICE agents were first being deployed to Minnesota, Trump went on a racist screed, describing Somalia as a country that “stinks and we don’t want them in our country.” He went on to compare Somalis to “garbage” and falsely claimed that Somali gangs had “taken over” Minnesota and were “roving the streets looking for ‘prey.’” We can trace a direct line from those racist lies by our president to the death of Renee Good. And to the 14 other shootings by ICE officers that have happened since late July. Just yesterday, ICE agents reportedly shot two more people at a traffic stop in Portland, Oregon, and then fled the scene before local police arrived. And I haven’t even mentioned the funerals for dozens of people, including civilians, killed in American strikes on Venezuela. Without Trump’s lies, all of these people would be with their families today. There will be more of all of this to come in 2026: lies that beget violence and death, which beget more lies. We’ll need to grasp that living out the simple Christian dictum “the truth shall set you free” will be a dangerous task in Trump’s 2026 America. -- Robert P. Jones, president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute and the author, most recently, of “The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy and the Path to a Shared American Future.” January 10, 2025:
How Evangelicals View God as Like Donald Trump Why would I say that “Evangelicals View God as Like Donald Trump”? It struck me quite suddenly recently that there is a parallel between how Evangelicals view “faith” and how they approach political leaders. When we realize this, we understand what an appalling view of God they have, and it makes sense of their support for Donald Trump. Let me explain. For conservative religious people, “faith” means unquestioning allegiance to God and their faith, understood as a unified package. Since no one can genuinely say they understand the Trinity, the incarnation, and other important doctrines, what this ultimately means is that one is required to pay lip service to God. The people who have said that they would believe it if the Bible said “2 + 2 = 5” illustrate this well. Such a statement is meaningless. There is no way to actually believe that if you have two bananas and add two more you have five bananas. (To do so would be, well, bananas.) Saying this isn’t faith or truth, it is pandering. (Religion Prof; 1.10.26) READMORE>>>>> Christians in Iran imprisoned over affiliation with 'Zionist Christianity' activities deemed against Islam Two Christians in Iran sentenced to prison for their faith were locked up on Dec. 16 and 20, and a Christian woman was summoned to begin serving her five-year prison term two days before Christmas, according to an advocacy group dedicated promotion of religious freedom in Iran. Nayereh Arjaneh, arrested along with her husband at their home in Garmsar on July 7, 2025, began serving her term in Semnan Prison on Dec. 23 after her conviction for “promoting deviant propaganda and teachings contrary to Islamic law” — that is, practicing and manifesting her faith, said Article 18. (Christian Post; 1.10.26) READMORE>>>>> The ‘holy war’: How the far right is trying to hijack Christianity Does the far right’s capture of a debased Christianity matter in the UK, where religion holds far less sway than in the US? Given America’s superpower status, and the reluctance of global leaders to challenge Trump, it should concern us all. Whatever happened to “love thy neighbour,” the foundational Christian principle Jesus identified as the second greatest commandment? In the Gospels, loving one’s neighbour, and even one’s enemies, are central to the faith’s moral vision of compassion, mercy and peace. Yet in Tommy Robinson’s version of Christianity that ethic is turned upside down. This week, the far-right activist, long associated with divisive and anti-immigrant messaging, celebrated the US military’s controversial operation in Venezuela and called on Donald Trump to “free us” by invading the UK and removing prime minister Keir Starmer. (Left Foot Forward; 1.10.26) READMORE>>>>> January 9, 2026
Exhibit Honors Renowned Evangelist Who ‘Touched Tens Of Thousands Of Lives’ For Marshall Keeble, traveling all over the South — and beyond — to preach during the Jim Crow era of racial segregation brought challenges. For one, the renowned evangelist needed to make sure he had food and water to sustain him at a time of Whites-only public fountains and restaurants. Nearly six decades after Keeble’s 1968 death, hundreds of Christians lined up Sunday at Nashville’s Jackson Street Church of Christ — where the son of former slaves preached his first sermon in 1897 — to see a new exhibit honoring his legacy. (Religion Unplugged; 1.9.26) READMORE>>>>> Christians must resist allure of power, serve humanity The powerful and violent cannot control, suppress or commodify God’s grace, friendship and will to usher in a new dawn, Pope Leo XIV said. “Around us, a distorted economy tries to profit from everything. We see how the marketplace can turn human yearnings of seeking, traveling and beginning again into a mere business,” he said, celebrating Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, and officially closing the celebration of the Holy Year dedicated to hope. “Let us ask ourselves: Has the Jubilee taught us to flee from this type of efficiency that reduces everything to a product and human beings to consumers?” he asked. “After this year, will we be better able to recognize a pilgrim in the visitor, a seeker in the stranger, a neighbor in the foreigner and fellow travelers in those who are different?” (St Louis Review; 1.9.26) READMORE>>>>> Neighborliness is a lived theology in Minnesota “I realized it was that Renee Good, our kids are in school together,” read a text I received in the last 24 hours from a friend in our Minneapolis community. I did not know Renee personally, but I feel the pain and sadness that’s now a lasting part of our city. That is precisely the point of the lived theology of neighborliness, something uniquely Minnesotan that presses us to show up for each other. I do not need to know you to love you and show compassion; knowing you are my neighbor is enough. This interconnectedness is reflected in the highest levels of our state government. In a press conference yesterday, Gov. Tim Walz said, “I saw it last night, I saw it during George Floyd, I’ve seen it throughout our history, when things look really bleak, it was Minnesotans first who held that line for the nation … to rise up as neighbors, and simply say we can look out for one another.” He connected this bond of neighborliness as a cornerstone for a healthy, thriving democracy that holds us together when we differ and disagree. (Religion News Service; 1.9.26) READMORE>>>>> Trump's lies are killing us: The deadly consequences of big and little lies everywhere During the opening days of his first term, Trump achieved something remarkable: according to The New York Times, “He said something untrue, in public, every day for the first 40 days of his presidency.” His spokesperson, Kellyanne Conway, coined the Orwellian term “alternative facts” to try to justify Trump’s insistence, despite clear evidence to the contrary, that the crowd size at his inauguration was larger than Obama’s. By the time he was finally forced from office four years later, The Washington Post had logged 30,573 times that Trump had uttered false or misleading claims. Trump’s lies, both big and small, have been corrosive to the foundations of civil society and democracy, which depend on a shared sense of reality. But the events of the first days of 2026 also show they are deadly. They are literally killing us. Given Trump’s inclination to dishonesty, his authoritarian leanings and his inability to admit failure, it’s no surprise he would respond to electoral defeat with what became known as The Big Lie: his false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. What is remarkable is how willing his followers, including his stalwart white Christian supporters, were to embrace this lie. (Religion News Service; 1.9.26) READMORE>>>>> Happy 80th Birthday, John Piper In July of 1980, 34-year-old John Piper preached his first sermon as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church on the eastern edge of downtown Minneapolis. Surveying a sea of gray hair, he retained traces of South Carolina lilt in his tenor voice as he said, “I have nothing of abiding worth to say to you. But God does. And of that Word I hope and pray that I never tire of speaking. The life of the church depends on it.” Piper’s final sermon at the church fell on Easter Sunday of 2013. The gray-haired, balding pastor, then 67, looked out at a sea of younger faces and explained why this wouldn’t be a typical farewell sermon with personal reflections: “It has been our commitment in all these years together to preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord (2 Corinthians 4:5). People ought not to go to church to hear the sentiments or the ideas of a man, but to hear the word of God.” (Christianity Today; 1.9.26) READMORE>>>>> January 8, 2026
Protesters rally against ICE after fatal shooting of Colorado Springs native in Minneapolis Rev. Lee Ann Bryce, lead minister at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Colorado Springs, said the fatal shooting of a woman who “showed up to bear witness and, in a moment of moral urgency, used her vehicle to block enforcement activity” is not about one tragic death. “It is about the kind of country we are becoming, and the kind of people we are willing to be,” she said at the rally. “Blocking with a vehicle is not a capital offense. Civil resistance is not a death sentence. And when nonviolent intervention is met with lethal force, something has gone deeply wrong. Demanding accountability is not anti-law. Insisting on human dignity is not radical. What is radical is the idea that some lives can be erased without consequence,” she added. (Gazette; 1.8.26) READMORE>>>>> Christian author Philip Yancey announces 'sinful' affair and retirement A married, Christian author battling Parkinson’s Disease has admitted to having an extramarital affair with a woman for eight years and announced his retirement from ministry and speaking, according to statements sent to USA TODAY. After 55 years of writing about Christianity and its teachings, Philip Yancey called the affair "sinful" and "defied everything" that he believed about marriage in a statement sent to USA TODAY. Evangelical Christian media magazine Christianity Today first reported the affair on Jan. 8. "It was also totally inconsistent with my faith and my writings and caused deep pain for her husband and both of our families,” he told USA TODAY. “I will not share further details out of respect for the other family.” (USA Today; 1.8.26) READMORE>>>>> Interfaith Alliance Condemns Brutal ICE Killing – Calls for Faith Communities to Reject Authoritarianism and Choose Love, Not ICE On Wednesday in Minneapolis, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good during an otherwise nonviolent encounter. Video and eyewitness accounts, which show the woman attempting to flee from ICE as they aggressively attempted to enter her vehicle, contradict the Trump administration’s claims that agents acted in self-defense. The killing has intensified outrage and grief across Minnesota and the nation, as calls grow for accountability and an end to ICE crackdowns that are driving fear and putting communities in danger.Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement: “This shocking killing is another tragic example of ICE’s brutality, and the deadly consequences of the Trump administration’s reckless and authoritarian immigration crackdown. Our hearts are with the victim’s loved ones and the Minneapolis community, as they grieve and respond to this horrific tragedy. Wednesday’s shooting is the latest example of what happens when an administration makes dehumanization, aggression, and cruelty the foundation of its agenda. The American people don’t want blood on the streets or armed government forces surrounding our homes, schools, and places of worship. (Interfaith Alliance; 1.8.26) READMORE>>>>> January 7, 2026
MAGA claims of 'massive religious revival' meticulously debunked Christian nationalist themes were alive and well at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest 2025 gathering at the Phoenix Convention Center, which found Vice President JD Vance declaring that the United States "always will be a Christian nation." But that claim was debunked by MS NOW's Steve Benen, who noted what the Founding Fathers had to say on the subject — for example, John Adams, in 1797, writing that "The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion," and Thomas Jefferson saying, in 1802, that the U.S. Constitution created "a wall of separation between church and state." Another prominent Christian nationalist theme at AmericaFest 2025 is that the U.S. is seeing a widespread evangelical renaissance, which is also what the Moral Majority's Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. claimed during the 1980s. But Salon's Amanda Marcotte, in an article published on January 7, counters that the U.S. is moving in a more "secular" direction — not converting to evangelical Christian fundamentalism in huge numbers (Alternet; 1.7.26) READMORE>>>>> January 6, 2026
Netanyahu reportedly asks Putin to assure Iran of no Israeli attack plans Israel’s public broadcaster said on Monday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to pass a reassurance message to Iran, saying that Israel does not intend to attack it, out of concern over a possible pre-emptive strike by Tehran. The official broadcaster, citing unnamed diplomatic sources, said Netanyahu requested that Putin deliver messages to Iran to reassure it that Israel has no plans to launch an attack. It added that these messages were recently passed to Iran, including through phone calls between Netanyahu and Putin, amid fears that Tehran might strike Israel to prevent a possible Israeli attack. (Middle East Monitoir; 1.6.26) READMORE>>>>> MAGA Officials Disinvite Pro-LGBTQ+ Episcopal Priest from City Council Invocation After Pride Event Backlash Local officials in Keller, Texas, part of Tarrant County, invited Reverend Alan Bentrip, pastor at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, to offer the invocation at a recent city council meeting. The invitation was rescinded last week after officials learned of his involvement in hosting a Pride event on church property. The event, which took place a few months prior, attracted approximately 700 attendees and 140 vendors, with minimal protests following initial controversy.Reverend Bentrip decided to host the Pride event in response to community needs, providing a space for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to gather safely. Despite enduring online threats before and after the festival, the event proceeded smoothly, supported by local police who ensured security. When Bentrip arrived at the city council meeting to deliver his planned prayer, a staff member informed him of a supposed double booking, barring him from the program. (Edge Media Network; 1.6.26) READMORE>>>>> January 5, 2026
Religious leaders react to Maduro’s capture with conflicting views The capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro has been a hit among President Donald Trump’s Christian nationalist allies while the reaction from moderate and progressive Christian leaders has varied from concerned to condemning. “We have a president who acts decisively to defend America and in bringing justice to the evil actors around the world. This is peace through strength,” said Trump supporter Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist megachurch in Plano, Texas, that held a Trump-praising worship service in July. (Baptist news Global; 1.5.26) READMORE>>>>> January 3, 2026
Venezuelan Evangelicals respond to US capture of Maduro President Donald Trump confirmed that the United States carried out a decisive military operation in Venezuela early Saturday morning. The action, described by administration sources as the result of months of strategic pressure, involved controlled explosions and the deployment of aircraft in Caracas, culminating in the arrest of socialist leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Trump, who is at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, called the operation a "brilliant operation." Through his Truth Social platform, Trump directly announced the outcome of the incursion: "The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country." (Christian Post; 1.3.26) READMORE>>>>> Passion 2026: Cliffe Knechtle fields students’ toughest questions, from sexuality to God's existence During a Passion 2026 session built around audience-submitted inquiries, Cliffe Knechtle, an American pastor and Christian apologist, addressed what organizers said were the most common questions young adults are asking today, including those about God’s existence, suffering, sexuality, morality and salvation. “They submitted hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of questions,” Passion founder Louie Giglio told the crowd of thousands gathered at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. “We collated them, took out the duplicates and raised them to the top.” (Christian Post; 1.3.26) READMORE>>>>> Evangelicals’ support for Israel is dropping. 1,000 pastors want to reverse that. For six days, 1,000 U.S. evangelical pastors traveled through Israel, holding a mass prayer at the Western Wall, meeting with freed hostages at the Oct. 7, 2023, Nova Festival massacre site and attending private high-level security briefings. Billed as “the Friends of Zion Ambassador Summit to Israel,” the early December trip was, experts said, the biggest pilgrimage of evangelical leaders in Israel’s almost 80-year history. Its goal was to address what was long hard to imagine: The fraying of the rock-solid bond between evangelical Christians and Israel. The shift in recent years has multiple triggers, including surging anti-Israel sentiment among influential Christian conservative social media figures, including Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes, whose audiences number in the tens of millions. (Washington Post; 1.3.26) READMORE>>>>> January 2, 2026
Earl McClellan kicks off Passion 2026 warning against conference highs, points students to Christ alone Pastor Earl McClellan opened the first night of Passion Conference 2026, urging young Christians to place their expectations not in a conference or an emotional moment but in the transforming power of Jesus alone. Preaching from Luke 3 before tens of thousands of college-aged attendees gathered on New Year's Day at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, McClellan framed his sermon around the theme “Fresh Fire.” Spiritual endurance and repentance, he declared, are evidence of true and lasting faith rather than short-lived religious enthusiasm. (Christian Post; 1.2.26) READMORE>>>>> The “Gospel” of the Vengeful Christ On December 17, 2025, the Rev. Franklin Graham preached at a Christmas service in the Pentagon. In his sermon, he told members of the military and Department of Defense employees that the Christian God is a God of love, but also a God of hate who sometimes commands us to destroy his enemies. Graham lifted up the story in I Samuel 15 in which God is depicted as commanding Saul to defeat and slaughter the Amalekites, “men, women, infant, nursing child, oxen, sheep, camel, and donkey.” Because Saul disobeys God, sparing the Amalekite king and the best of the livestock, Samuel tells Saul that God has rejected him as king of Israel. Oh, and Merry Christmas! Eight days later, on Christmas Day itself, President Trump ordered military strikes on Islamic State bases in northern Nigeria, citing alleged ISIS attacks on Nigerian Christians as a justification. As Trump wrote on Truth Social that evening, “I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing …. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.” (Reformed Journal; 1.2.26) READMORE>>>>> January 1, 2026
Netanyahu can’t escape responsibility for Oct. 7 For decades, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has branded himself as one of, if not the ultimate authority on terrorism. His reputation as “Mr. Security” propelled him to become the country’s longest-serving prime minister. That résumé makes one conclusion unavoidable: He bears the ultimate responsibility for the catastrophe of Oct. 7. And from the moment the scale of the failure became clear, he has done everything possible to evade accountability. Despite Netanyahu’s relentless efforts to block an independent commission of inquiry, a devastating picture has emerged of warnings ignored and failures dismissed. The latest revelations come from an Israel Hayom investigation based on months of interviews with senior sources who insisted Israel received clear warnings from Egypt in the two weeks before Oct. 7 that Gaza was on the verge of a major explosion. Two Israeli political sources said a senior Egyptian official warned the National Security Council that “something big” was coming. Given standard reporting procedures, sources argue that it is inconceivable that such warnings were not passed on to the prime minister. (JNS; 1.1.26) READMORE>>>>> Finding Faith on YouTube In idle moments, when I pick up my phone and open YouTube before even realizing I’m doing it, the first video recommended to me is usually something to do with Christian denominational apologetics. At the precise intersection of my sociological interests, spiritual commitments, and social media addiction, the YouTube algorithm has realized that nothing absorbs me more readily than listening to Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant apologists debating points of dogma. There is a whole flourishing genre here – videos in which Christians document their processes of denominational discernment, articulating their theological commitments and defending their traditions in digital space, with titles such as “10 Reasons Why I Became Catholic” or “7 Reasons Why I’m Still Protestant” or “The Real Reason I’m Leaving Non-Denominationalism.” It’s like watching the unfolding of many spiritual autobiographies at once in real time, but unlike Augustine’s Confessions or John Henry Newman’s Apologia Pro Vita Sua, social media is an ever-unfinished book. (Plough; 1.1.26) READMORE>>>>> Award-winning singer who 'changed the face of black gospel music' dies at 77 Award-winning gospel singer Richard Smallwood has died at the age of 77, leaving behind a legacy that “clearly and solidly changed the face of black gospel music.” An official announcement from Smallwood’s family was posted on his Instagram account on Tuesday, announcing the passing of the “world-renowned artist, songwriter, and musician." The message included a request to respect the family’s “privacy during this difficult time” as they seek to “celebrate the legacy he leaves behind and the gifts he unselfishly shared with the world.” (Christian Post; 1.1.26) READMORE>>>>> December 31, 2025:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
The U.S. Congress has not approved a formal declaration of war against Venezuela; instead, recent congressional actions involve debates and votes on War Powers Resolutions that seek to limit or halt the Trump administration's military actions against Venezuela, with measures to block hostilities being rejected by the House, indicating ongoing conflict over presidential war powers, not approval for war.
Congress has not formally declared war on Venezuela, nor has it passed a specific Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) for actions there. PTrump has threatened and initiated military actions, including airstrikes and naval blockades, against Venezuela, leading to congressional challenges. Bipartisan measures (like H. Con. Res. 61/64, S.J.Res. 83) were introduced in late 2025 to force the President to seek congressional approval or cease hostilities, but the HOUSE rejected them. Lawmakers argue these presidential actions violate the Constitution, which grants Congress the sole power to declare war, while others support the administration's authority to act against drug trafficking. As of December 2025, Congress has not authorized war, but significant legislative efforts are underway to challenge the executive branch's unauthorized military involvement in Venezuela, according to this Congressional Research Service summary. HOWEVER: The United States has reportedly launched at least one military strike inside Venezuela, escalating President Donald Trump’s ongoing campaign to pressure dictator Nicolás Maduro. The attack targeted a docking area used for alleged drug smuggling boats, marking a significant step up from previous maritime operations along the Venezuelan coast. Yesterday Trump described the strike as hitting and destroying “the area where they load the boats up with drugs.” He did not specify whether the operation was conducted by the military or the CIA, only noting that it occurred “along the shore.” Sources familiar with the operation say that the CIA had carried out a drone strike on a port facility, believed to target the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. No casualties were reported, as no one was present at the time. SINCE SEPTEMBER the US has been targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels off Venezuela, primarily linked to cocaine shipments destined for Europe. Social media footage has circulated showing the aftermath of the strikes. Pt1: A QAnon believer who arrived with weapons in Washington, D.C., just after the Jan. 6 Capitol attack, and threatened to kill former President Donald Trump’s political opponents, was sentenced to 28 months behind barson Tuesday.
Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr., a 53-year-old from Hayesville, North Carolina, was arrested on Jan. 7 after he sent threats about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and others to a relative from Georgia. The relative contacted Meredith’s mother, who reached out to the FBI. Pt 2: Meredith plead guilty to to threatening to 'put a bullet' in Speaker Pelosi . Trump pardoned him. (He wasn't found guilty by a jury. He--himself of his own volition plead guilty.) He is now campaigning to get reparations—from “the deep state” and his parents 
Jesse Watters is interviewing people with masks who are claiming to be various representatives of organizations, like antifa or the like. Someone pointed out that two of the people interviewed were actually the same person. Now it's unclear, but, in my opinion likely, that all the interviews were fraudulent and just more Jesse Watters theatrics which he is know so well for doing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Megyn Kelly doesn't care if Trump was a sexual predator. Aside from Epstein victims, the Trump/Epstein Files, and the 34 convictions for his involvement and coverups of porn star Stormy Daniels. He is the only president in American history to have ever been convicted of a felony. December 31, 2025:
Grappling with community, faith and truth in 'The Evangelicals' Most members of the Evangelical Church don't just show up on Sundays. The church has guidance for its members in almost every aspect of life. The white evangelical church is also part of a political movement that is reshaping our country. On this episode of the Talk of Iowa book club, we've been reading Sarah McCammon's best-selling book, The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church. The book is a blend of memoir and reporting, focusing on McCammon's life growing up in an evangelical church in Missouri and attending an evangelical college before parting ways with the church as a young adult. McCammon also writes about the experiences of other so-called "exvangelicals." Host Charity Nebbe discusses the book with McCammon and two expert readers. (Iowa Public Radio; 12.31.25) READMORE>>>>> ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ gets Christianity in ways Hollywood usually doesn’t Over Christmas, my family watched the newest Knives Out movie, Wake Up Dead Man, which achieves something I haven’t seen on screen since Brendan Gleeson forgave a murderous Chris O’Dowd in the 2014 film Calvary. “God is great. The limits of his mercy have not been set,” Gleeson’s character Father James Lavelle said then. That line is not in the Bible but sounds as if it could be. Or at least, as if it were written by someone conversant in biblical themes. That’s the feeling I got watching Wake Up Dead Man. Plainly, it was written by someone who speaks church — who understands the mysteries (or what detractors might call inconsistencies) of a life of faith, and who takes them seriously. (Dallas Morning News; 12.31.25) READMORE>>>>> Public figures speak out as opposition to Christian nationalism grows under Trump Concerns about Christian nationalism have gained renewed attention as public figures highlight its political and social implications. Journalist Joy Reid and Robert P. Jones, president of the non-partisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), have launched a monthly video segment, Confronting White Christian Nationalism, on Reid’s YouTube series. The first episode aired in December. Reid said the series will “push back on the people who would deport Jesus,” referring to political movements she views as misrepresenting Christian faith. (Premier Christianity; 12.31.25) READMORE>>>>> December 30, 2025:
2025 in Review At the start of this year — on Jan. 3 — I broke the story about Speaker Mike Johnson falsely claiming from the podium of the U.S. House of Representatives to have a prayer that Thomas Jefferson “recited every day during his presidency and each day afterward until he died.” That would’ve been quite a feat for Jefferson since the prayer that Johnson then read wasn’t written until decades after Jefferson’s death. A few days later, I unpacked the previously untold story of this prayer and how it was erroneously tied to Jefferson. Earlier this month, I broke the story about who has preached so far at each of the monthly Christian prayer services at the Pentagon this year. Then I broke the story about what was said at the first monthly prayer service at the Department of Labor. While MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) and CNN later reported on the Labor service, they did so based only on what others said about it (including me). The only report based on actually watching the service didn’t come from national TV networks but from this newsletter. .(Word & Way; 12.30.25) READMORE>>>>> December 29, 2025:
RANDOM NOTES & BYTES
 Zorek
Putin is the missing man in the “peace negotiations.” Though Putin has had repeated conversations with Trump, most recently in a Sunday phone call, he refuses to meet with, or talk to, Zelensky. Putin has made clear that he views Zelensky as the illegitimate ruler of a nonexistent state — so what is there to talk about? And, hence, there's nothing to negotiate. I dont think Trump is helping at all because Zelensky is much smarter then Trump is.
Two more artistic groups announced that they have canceled upcoming performances at the Kennedy Center, adding to a growing list of acts that have chosen not to perform at the storied institution after its board of directors announced earlier this month that it would add President Donald Trump’s name to the venue.
Jazz supergroup the Cookers, scheduled to perform two concerts at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday as part of “A Jazz New Year’s Eve,” have canceled both shows, the band announced on Monday. Doug Varone and Dancers, a decades-old performance group, also said on Monday that they had decided to cancel two performances scheduled for April. 
It's not just Australia, I know for sure Trump is a laughingstock in Canada and the UK. He's not popular in Greenland. There are more countries.
Trump's presidency and political career, many international figures and media outlets viewed his actions, like questioning NATO, supporting populists, and challenging trade deals, as bizarre or foolish, leading some to see him as a "laughingstock," while he often claimed other nations were envious of America's "hotness" under his leadership, with varying perceptions across allies and rivals, particularly concerning his "America First" policies. Reasons for being seen as a "Laughingstock": NATO/Alliances: His skepticism towards traditional alliances like NATO and questioning mutual defense pacts confused and alarmed European leaders. Populist Support: Cheering for right-wing populists and anti-democratic figures like Putin was seen as undermining democratic norms by some. Trade Policies: Imposing tariffs and threatening trade wars with allies (like Canada, Mexico) and rivals (China) was viewed as erratic. Unconventional Behavior: His "clownish" or unconventional style often drew ridicule in foreign press. Trump's Counter-Narrative: "Hottest Country": Trump frequently claimed the U.S. was the "hottest country in the world" and that other nations were envious, not laughing at, America. Economic Success: He pointed to economic growth and large fundraising tours as proof of his success, despite international criticism. Varying Perceptions: Allies: Some European officials found him bewildering and alarming. Rivals: China faced tariffs, while Russia's Putin was seen as a beneficiary of Trump's policies, creating complex reactions. In essence, while some saw Trump's actions as a joke or dangerous, he projected an image of American strength and global appeal, leading to diverse international reactions 
AI is widely expected to cause significant job displacement in the U.S. labor market, but most economists and researchers also anticipate it will create new roles and boost productivity overall. The consensus is that while some jobs will be lost, the overall effect is more of a transformation and redefinition of work rather than a total elimination of jobs.
Key Impacts and Projections Job Displacement: Various reports project significant job losses in specific sectors. Goldman Sachs estimates AI could affect 300 million jobs globally, while a Senate report suggested up to 100 million U.S. jobs could be at risk over the next decade. Actual Job Cuts: As of late 2025, a labor market research firm directly attributed over 17,000 U.S. job cuts to AI, with more related to general tech updates. While measurable job losses are occurring, some economists note that AI has not yet caused massive changes in overall employment data, partly due to low adoption rates in many smaller businesses and a complex economic cycle. Job Creation: History shows that technological change often creates more occupations than it destroys; for instance, 60% of U.S. workers today are in jobs that didn't exist in 1940. New roles like AI ethicists, data scientists, and prompt engineers are emerging, and AI-enabled firms often experience higher growth and hire more workers overall. Focus on Tasks, Not Entire Jobs: AI is more likely to automate specific tasks within a job rather than eliminate the entire role. For example, AI can handle a quarter of work tasks in the U.S. and Europe, allowing humans to focus on more creative and complex problem-solving activities. Most Affected Roles Jobs involving routine, repetitive tasks—both manual and clerical—are most vulnerable to automation. High-risk fields include: Fast food and counter workers Customer service representatives and call center agents Data entry clerks and administrative assistants Manufacturing and material movers Bank tellers and cashiers Junior-level finance and legal roles (e.g., bookkeepers, paralegals) Key to Future Employment Adaptability and lifelong learning are considered crucial for workers to thrive in the AI era. Developing skills that complement AI—often called durable or human skills—is highly recommended. Growing Roles: Healthcare workers (nurses, therapists), cybersecurity professionals, renewable energy technicians, and AI specialists are projected to see high demand and growth. Essential Skills: Analytical thinking, creativity, leadership, and communication are among the most requested skills in current job postings, as these human-centric abilities are less susceptible to automation. Did Trump Use U.S. Military for a Christmas Political Ad?
Trump orders Christmas Day airstrikes in Nigeria, calling it a ‘gift to Christians’ On Christmas Day (12-25-25), President Donald Trump ordered U.S. airstrikes in northern Nigeria, targeting alleged ISIS fighters. But the strikes, announced on Christmas Day and described by Trump as a “gift to Christians,” are being widely criticized as “political theater” aimed at energizing his evangelical base during the holiday season. AFRICOM confirmed the strikes, which reportedly hit rural areas in Sokoto state. While the U.S. military said the mission targeted ISIS-West Africa Province (ISWAP), local reports say a farming village far from known ISIS territory was affected. No casualties were confirmed, but the symbolism of the date and Trump’s public comments sparked backlash.. Democracy Now Philip Esformes, whose 20-year prison sentence for a massive, $1.3 billion Medicare fraud scheme WAS COMMUTED BY PRES TRUMP IN 2020, was arrested over the weekend in Florida on domestic-violence related charges. Esformes is at least the SEVENTH person who received executive clemency from Trump, and has since been charged with new crimes, according to The New York Times, which first reported this latest arrest. |
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